Curriculum

Educated persons are prepared for lifelong learning, for continually dealing with changing perceptions and new bodies of knowledge. Beyond facts that become outdated, they ask intelligent questions, make informed decisions, and think confidently for themselves.

Educated persons are capable of regulating their own lives, not only with regard to decisions made in vocational contexts but within the larger contexts of their lives as citizens and social beings. An institution in the liberal arts tradition must take as its goal not only provision of the best possible career training, but also provision of the skills and knowledge graduates need to make contributions to the total community. At Juniata, we believe the procedures of acquiring an education are an important part of the educational process. Therefore, certain educational decisions are made by each student using the information provided by faculty advisors and the intellectual skills developed during the first few semesters at the College.

Educated persons should be able to think independently about intellectual and moral issues. Juniata's program is designed, therefore, to promote and develop the habits of mind and communications skills needed to make and implement decisions. Students wrestle with profound issues of human values, not only as dealt with in the past, but as they affect current thinking in a student's chosen field.

Students entering Juniata in fall 2019 or after follow the Juniata College Curriculum. Students work with two faculty advisors to shape their Program of Emphasis but will do so within the context of experiences designed to connect ideas, develop skills to engage with people and issues, and learn to discern meaning, relevance, and value. Our curriculum strengthens every student’s ability to solve problems, empathize with others, act with grace in the face of complexity, and understand that to get better answers, one must ask better questions.

General Education Requirements for students matriculating in Fall Semester 2019 or after

I. General Education:
General Education Mission: General education engages students in common academic experiences that integrate learning across academic fields with distinctive ways of knowing and develop habits of mind necessary for reflective choices and effective action in fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship, and meaningful lives. All general education courses contribute to the student’s electronic portfolio. No general education course shall exceed 25 students per instructor.

 A. First Year Experience
First year students take part in a two-semester course sequence designed to help prepare them for success at Juniata. The First-Year Experience courses include First-Year Foundations (one credit in the first semester), First-Year Composition (three credits in the first semester), and First-Year Seminar (three credits in the second semester).

  • First-Year Foundations courses provides students with the resources, skills and information that will assist them in mastery of academic and social life at Juniata College. Along with acquisition of skills and knowledge, students will reflect on their journey at the start of their Juniata career, helping to set the path for the rest of their academic career. Students will add reflective pieces to their portfolio to evidence their progress as a student at Juniata College.
  • First-Year Composition courses introduce students to different types of reading and writing using varied models and genres in popular/scholarly and digital/print forms to build students’ information literacy skills, rhetorical knowledge, critical thinking, and knowledge of conventions. FYC will focus on developing these skills to prepare students for future academic work.
  • First-Year Seminar courses help students develop the arts of academic writing and oral communication and the intellectual skill of analyzing evidence and arguments, examining issues such as what counts as evidence, what makes arguments strong or weak, and common errors in reasoning.
  •  B. Ways of Knowing
    The Ways of Knowing requirement teaches students to think critically and intellectually about the world, introduces students to different epistemological perspectives, and helps students realize the benefits of interdisciplinary inquiry and a liberal arts education. Students must complete Ways of Knowing courses in at least two categories by the end of their second year. With the approval of their advisors, students may waive one Ways of Knowing course that corresponds to a way of knowing inherent in their Program of Emphasis. The five required Ways of Knowing courses include Creative Expression, Formal Reasoning, Humanistic Thought, Scientific Process, and Social Inquiry.
  • In Creative Expression courses, students explore their own potential to produce original creative work through the study of the creative process and the practice of creativity and self-expression. Students will acquire the requisite skills to produce or perform a work of art, and will explore the role of artistic expression in society.
  • In Formal Reasoning courses, students learn to think with rigor and precision through the study of formal systems and the rigorous application of deductive reasoning. Students will develop critical thinking and reasoning skills, use formal systems to identify, analyze and solve problems, and critique current practices, structures, or claims through the application of formal systems.
  • In Humanistic Thought courses, students learn to engage in theoretical, historical, or critical analysis of texts, art works, cultural artifacts, or cultural practices. Students will develop the analytic techniques and interpretive skills to appreciate human experiences and their representations, and will be prepared to ask fundamental questions of value, purpose, and meaning.
  • In Social Inquiry courses, students will learn to use qualitative or quantitative methods to analyze human behavior, social organization, and the capacities that make society possible. Students will use reason and evidence to recognize and analyze distinctive forms of human behavior and social organization. Students will reflect ton how one’s social location influences understanding of self, interactions with others and access to power and resources. Students will explore ethical questions raised by social inquiry and consider its role in relevant public practices, policies, or popular media.
  • In Scientific Process courses, students gain an understanding of what is known or can be known about the world through the study and practice of developing hypotheses, making observations, analyzing quantitative data, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. Students will explore ethical questions raised by scientific inquiry and consider its role in relevant public practices, policies, or popular media.

 C. Connections
Taken in the third or fourth year, Connections courses are team-taught by two or more instructors who bring different disciplinary perspectives to address a common topic. Students will learn to integrate knowledge and skills from multiple disciplinary perspectives to examine an issue through different ways of knowing.

  •  D. Self and the World
    How should we engage with the world? What responsibilities do we have to our local and global communities? Self and the World courses foster the capacities necessary for wellbeing and responsible citizenship. These capacities include ethical reflection and a sense of purpose, knowledge of how diversity shapes the American experience, and knowledge about global challenges and cultural diversity. Together, these courses encourage us to engage with human diversity, contemplate questions about a just society, and consider the conditions that foster individual and collective wellbeing. The four require Self and the World courses include U.S. Experience, Ethical Responsibility, Local Engagement, and Global Engagement.
  • In U.S. Experience courses, students will explore the complex social, cultural, political, and historical contexts that shape the lived experiences of traditionally marginalized groups within the U.S. Students will critically examine how power, privilege, and marginalization influence opportunity.
  • In Ethical Responsibility courses, students will learn to engage in ethical reasoning and take the perspectives of different participants in situations requiring ethical judgment. Students will assess their own ethical values, explore the social contexts of problems, recognize and understand ethical issues in different settings and traditions, and consider ramifications of alternative actions.
  • In Local Engagement courses, students must complete a semester-long experience that connects them directly with interaction, collaboration, and/or service in a local community. Local Engagement experiences help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to engage effectively with the local communities they will inhabit throughout their lives. Local engagement options address specific learning outcomes designed to help students contribute their knowledge and skills to their local communities through meaningful engagement.
  • In Global Engagement courses, students study abroad, learn a foreign language, or complete courses that focus on human cultures and global challenges. Global Engagement courses help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to engage effectively with and adapt to a changing world. Each option addresses a specific set of learning outcomes designed to help students engage with and adapt to a changing world.

General Education Requirements for students matriculating prior to Fall Semester 2019

Information Access

Information Access is a one credit course required of all entering students, first years and transfers that ensures competency in the use of computing, network and library technologies at Juniata College.  There are no exemptions from the course.


College Writing Seminar

In CWS, students will develop their reading, writing, and analytical skills. CWS will introduce students to the diverse modes of thought and communication that characterize the college experience. Individual conferences, peer reading, revision of writing and portfolio assessment are some of the essential elements in this process-oriented approach to college work. Note: This course does not satisfy a distribution requirement.


Liberal Arts Distribution

The intent of the distribution requirement is to assist students in broadening their education. This breadth helps students to develop and retain the intellectual flexibility necessary to cope with their rapidly changing environment. 

Students must complete at least six credit hours of coursework in each of the following five areas. In three of these five areas, at least one course must have a prerequisite or be at the 300-level. Courses may be used for only one area.

Fine Arts (F):

Fine arts courses examine the interaction of elements within art forms, the ways in which these interactions produce artistic expression, and the conventions of the particular artistic disciplines.  In these courses, students expand their expressive abilities and/or sharpen their skills at formal analysis (such as how to experience a work of art). 

International Studies (I):

International courses may study global issues in one of three ways:  1. The course introduces students to the history, art, literature, philosophy, or civic life of people of different nationalities.  2. The course requires students to think and express themselves in a language other than English. 3. The course examines international social, material, cultural, or intellectual exchange at a systemic level. Each semester spent abroad can be used to fulfill three credits of I distribution.

Social Science (S):

Social scientists strive to understand a wide range of human behavior, from the formation of the self to the interaction of nations. Knowledge is acquired from systematic study using a diverse set of scientific methods including laboratory experiments, field observation, survey analyses, and quantitative and qualitative ethnographic analyses, and insight acquired through experience.

Humanities (H):

The humanities use methods such as textual interpretation, historical analysis, and philosophical investigation to ask fundamental questions of value, purpose, and meaning in a rigorous and systematic way.  The humanities teach us to think critically and imaginatively, informed by the knowledge of how those questions are (or have been) understood in different times, places, and cultures.

Natural Sciences (N):

Courses in natural and mathematical sciences enable students to engage with the methods of exploring the processes of the natural world. These methods include observation, generation of models and hypotheses, and analysis of models that pertain to the natural world, and empirical testing.


General Education Curriculum

All Juniata Students will complete two General Education courses. One course will be chosen from the Interdisciplinary Colloquia offerings and one will be from the Cultural Analysis offerings.

Interdisciplinary Colloquia (IC)

Juniata has a strong tradition of requiring students to have a team-taught and interdisciplinary experience. These courses emphasize reading, discussion, and writing in an interdisciplinary setting. Topics vary, but all IC courses, regardless of their content, will include serious consideration of the relationships between theory and practice in different disciplines and of how the insights provided by an interdisciplinary approach can have a positive effect on individuals' personal and public lives.

IC waiver: Students who take part in the Remote Field Station Program while living at the field station for the semester, will receive a waiver at the end of the semester once grades have been posted to have the program evaluations (degree audits) reflect the experience.

Cultural Analysis (CA)

CA courses deal with human culture in the variety of its philosophic, literary, artistic, economic, social, political, scientific, and other forms. Each course focuses on how relationships between ideas and institutions have shaped societies, and the thoughts and behaviors of individuals and groups. Approaches include: historical approaches that examine the development of a given culture over time; approaches that examine encounters or conflicts between two cultures or societies; or approaches that examine the variety of interactions among individuals and sub-groups within a given culture or society.

Students can also complete the CA requirement by completing co-requisite courses that together meet the CA requirements and add to at least three credits. Such projects normally include either a synthetic paper of ten or more pages, or student generated presentations or productions (for example, original art, music or drama) accompanied by a shorter written commentary. A CA course with other liberal art distributions will only count once, either for a CA or the distribution, if one is so designated. The prerequisite for CA courses is EN-109 or EN-110.

Writing Requirement for IC and CA

Cultural Analysis courses will build on the skills of insightful reading, analysis, and writing acquired in the first year of study. Courses will provide a basic familiarity with some concepts and methods of cultural analysis. They may be offered as either 3- or 4- credit courses. In CA courses, students will make use of both primary (textual or other artifacts) and secondary sources. (Secondary works are those which interpret primary sources, or develop a method for the study of primary sources.) These primary and secondary works will provide the raw materials for a synthetic project. Such projects will normally include either a synthetic paper of ten or more pages, or student-generated presentations or productions (for example, original art, music or drama) accompanied by a shorter written commentary. Any project must be designed to demonstrate the student’s capacity for independent research and critical thinking. Students will be expected to show an awareness of their own presuppositions and of the possibilities and limitations of their methods. Faculty members proposing courses must include in their course proposal an explanation of how course assignments will demonstrate the student’s capacity for analysis and synthesis with an appropriate degree of rigor.

IC and CA waivers:

The Interdisciplinary Colloquia (IC) and Cultural Analysis (CA) will be waived for students who has successfully completed a world language course beyond the 210 level in the target language and a semester of study abroad in the target language and culture. These waivers will be provided by the World Language department after the study abroad transcript has been received and confirmed.


Communications Component

In addition to the College Writing Seminar, students will take at least four "C" courses (minimum 12 credits), two courses or 6 credits must be writing-based (CW) and the additional courses may be speech-based (CS). One CW course must be in the POE.

A CW course devotes considerable time to the development and assessment of writing skills. CW courses require multiple writing assignments that total fifteen to twenty-five pages during the semester, though these totals may vary by discipline. The methods of teaching writing often vary by discipline and by instructor, but all CW courses explicitly address the mechanics of writing and editing. Consequently, the syllabus of a CW course indicates the specific writing goals of the class, the criteria by which writing assignments will be evaluated, and the writing or style manual(s) that serve as the basis of instruction. A significant portion of class time is specifically dedicated to learning writing skills. At least 35% of the final course grade will be determined by writing assignments.

CW courses are intended to help students develop, compose, organize, revise, and edit their own writing. They develop a student's abilities to identify and define a thesis as well as to collect, organize, present, and analyze evidence and documentation to disseminate knowledge. CW courses are not limited to English only.

A speech-based (CS) course requires at least 25% of the grade be determined by two or more oral individual or group presentations, and it fulfills two requirements: (1) The course aims to develop rhetorical skills necessary for effective and creative speech in individual, group or public presentation. This may include one or more of the following: speech design and delivery, listening, negotiation, leadership, persuasion, collaboration, or decision making; (2) The course offers students at least two opportunities to demonstrate these skills. Evaluation of the first opportunity guides improvement of the second.

Quantitative Component

There are two parts to the Quantitative Skills component: a statistical part (QS), and a mathematical part (QM). Courses that satisfy the statistics requirement will carry a QS designation and should contain elementary statistics topics such as averages, standard deviation and other measures of dispersion, as well as interpretation of data, tables, graphs, and some probability. Courses that satisfy the mathematical requirement will carry a QM designation and must use a combination of algebraic, graphical, and numerical reasoning. Such courses should teach students how to translate problems into mathematical language, how to solve the mathematical problems, and how to interpret the solutions. Courses that carry a Q designation must fulfill the requirements for both the statistical (QS) and mathematical (QM) components. 

Courses with quantitative skills components necessarily involve the use of appropriate technology. 

Students have two options for fulfilling the Quantitative Skills component. They may either 1) complete a single course that carries the Q designation or 2) complete a course that fulfills a QS designation and complete a course that carries a QM designation.

 


 Program of Emphasis

Program of Emphasis (POE)

More than 23 percent of Juniata graduates elect to develop an individualized POE. Students are encouraged to select the POE format that best serves their needs.

The Program of Emphasis (POE) is Juniata's unique approach to focused education in an academic area of a student's choosing. Somewhat similar to a traditional "major," the POE consists of up to half of the total degree and is an opportunity for students to explore in depth a particular discipline or to craft an interdisciplinary plan to study an area. With advisors' help, students draft a POE goal statement, identify classes, and develop rationale for their program.   They are:

Designated - A POE of 45-63 credits. Designated POEs have been proposed by a department or program and approved by the Curriculum committee. No student rationale is required.

Individualized - A POE of 45-63 credits designed by the student in consultation with faculty advisors. Individualized POEs are intended to meet particular student needs with unique combinations of courses. Approval requires students to write a rationale that describes how the courses they have listed help them reach the academic goals of the POE.

Secondary Emphases will not be a part of the POE; they will have a separate status, separate paperwork, and will be recorded separately on the student's transcript.  For each department, a secondary emphasis description can be found on the department's website.  The general guideline is: 18 credits with at least 6 of them are upper level.


Designated POEs

ACCOUNTING, BUSINESS, AND ECONOMICS

  • Accounting
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Information Technology
  • Economics
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Finance
  • Health Care Administration
  • Human Resource Management
  • International Business
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
  • Accounting, Business & Economics - Secondary Emphases

ART AND ART HISTORY

  • Art History
  • Integrated Media Arts
  • Museum Studies/Art History Focus
  • Studio Art
  • Art History - Secondary Emphasis
  • Fine Arts - Secondary Emphasis
  • Integrated Media Arts - Secondary Emphasis
  • Museum Studies - Secondary Emphasis
  • Studio Art - Secondary Emphasis

BIOLOGY

  • Biology
  • Biology and Secondary Education
  • Biology - Secondary Emphasis
  • Neuroscience (collaboration between Biology, Chemistry, Psychology and Education departments)

CHEMISTRY

  • Biochemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Chemistry and Secondary Education
  • Chemistry - Secondary Emphasis

COMMUNICATION AND THEATRE ARTS

  • Communication
  • Communication and Conflict Resolution
  • Health Communication
  • Theatre Arts
  • Communication - Secondary Emphasis
  • Theatre Arts - Secondary Emphasis

EDUCATION

  • PreK-4th grade Certification
  • PreK-4 and Special Education PreK-8th grade
  • Secondary Education Certification in Biology, Chemistry, English, Earth & Space Science, Environmental Education, Social Studies, Mathematics, Physics, French, German, Spanish and General Science
  • Education - Secondary Emphasis
     

ENGLISH

  • English
  • English Secondary Education
  • Professional Writing
  • Professional Writing: Digital Writing Track
  • Professional Writing: Publishing Track
  • English - Secondary Emphasis

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND STUDIES

  • Environmental Economics
  • Environmental Science
  • Environmental Studies
  • Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
  • Wildlife Conservation
  • Environmental Studies - Secondary Emphasis

GEOLOGY

  • Environmental Geology
  • Geology
  • Earth and Space Science
  • Earth and Space Science Secondary Education
  • Geology - Secondary Emphasis

HISTORY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

  • History
  • History and Museum Studies
  • Social Studies Secondary Education Certification
  • Anthropology - Secondary Emphasis
  • History - Secondary Emphasis

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER SCIENCE

  • Business Information Technology
  • Information Technology
  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology - Secondary Emphasis
  • Computer Programming - Secondary Emphasis
  • Computer Science - Secondary Emphasis

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

  • International Studies
  • International Studies - Secondary Emphasis

MATHEMATICS

  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics and Secondary Education
  • Mathematics - Secondary Emphasis

PEACE AND CONFLICT STUDIES

  • Communication and Conflict Resolution
  • Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Peace and Conflict Studies - Secondary Emphasis
  • Women and Gender Studies - Secondary Emphasis

PHILOSOPHY

  • Philosophy, Politics and Economics
  • Philosophy & Religious Studies
  • Philosophy - Secondary Emphasis

PHYSICS

  • Engineering Physics
  • General Science Secondary Education Certification
  • Physics
  • Engineering Physics and Secondary Education
  • Physics - Secondary Emphasis

POLITICS

  • Politics
  • International Politics
  • Philosophy, Politics and Economics
  • Politics - Secondary Emphasis

PSYCHOLOGY

  • Psychology
  • Psychology - Secondary Emphasis

RELIGIOUS STUDIES

  • Religious Studies
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies
  • Religious Studies - Secondary Emphasis

SOCIOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK

  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Sociology - Secondary Emphasis

WORLD LANGUAGES & CULTURES

  • French
  • Foreign Language Secondary Education (French, German, Spanish)
  • German
  • Russian
  • Spanish/Hispanic Cultures
  • Chinese - Secondary Emphasis
  • Chinese Studies - Secondary Emphasis
  • French - Secondary Emphasis
  • German - Secondary Emphasis
  • Russian - Secondary Emphasis
  • Spanish - Secondary Emphasis

Individual POEs

Following is a list of some recent student initiated individual POEs.

  • Software Engineering & Web Design
  • Chemical Sciences with a secondary emphasis in Criminal Justice
  • Writing and Society
  • Communication and Conflict Negotiation
  • Biology and Ethics
  • Psychology and Women's Studies
  • Accounting Environmental Studies
  • Creativity: Literature and Writing
  • Computerized Polity
  • Politics Law and Philosophy
  • Ecology International Studies
  • Economics and Finance
  • Social Work & Business Management
  • Marketing Strategies
  • Mathematics Communication
  • Peace and Social Institutions
  • Peaceful Communication in Religion and the Church

Distinction in the Program of Emphasis

To achieve distinction in the Program of Emphasis, a student must fulfill all graduation requirements and a senior experience that integrates several areas of their POE.  This requirement can be fulfilled in many ways.  Some possibilities might include: an original independent creative project that involves significant academic work, such as laboratory research resulting in a significant report; a major paper on a well-defined project; a body of artistic work equivalent to a major exhibition or performance; or field experience (e.g. student teaching or certain internships) culminating in a significant report. The project must be evaluated and judged worthy of distinction in the POE by two faculty members, at least one of whom must be from the home department. The project must also be presented in a forum open to all interested parties, either at Juniata or to an outside audience such as the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).

Departments and programs will be free to establish further requirements for receiving distinction in the POE, including higher GPA requirements.

Departments shall forward the names of successful candidates for distinction to the Registrar's Office.

 

 

 

Pre-Professional Programs

Health Professions

Health Professions Link for different programs

Health Professions Advisors:  Professors Peter Baran, Kathy Baughman, Randy Bennett, James Borgardt, Dan Dries, Kathy Jones, Jill Keeney, Elizabeth Mansberger, Susan Radis, David Widman, and Ursula Williams.

We offer advising for entry into professional and graduate school training in such fields as Art Therapy, Audiology, Biotechnology, Chiropractic, Cytotechnology, Dentistry, Genetic Counseling, Health Administration, Health Communication, Social Work with a Focus in Medicine/Behavioral health, Medical Technology, Medicine, Naturopathic Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Optometry, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant, Podiatric Medicine, Public Health, Radiologic Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. Students interested in a career in the health professions must meet the specific requirements for admission to a professional school. Since these vary from school to school, the students consult with a member of the Health Professions Committee as they prepare their courses so that students not only have an excellent chance of acceptance into professional schools, but also receive a breadth of knowledge that provides a firm foundation for their liberal arts education.

Students gain in-depth exposure to the health sciences through various types of opportunities that include internships at various health care facilities and universities, shadowing of local health professionals, health-related course work, participation in the Primary Care Scholars Program offered by the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine at Hershey, and/or various research opportunities on and off campus.

Juniata offers exceptional preparation for students interested in rural medicine through opportunities for shadowing at J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital in Huntingdon, a summer internship at Altoona Regional Health System and winter break programs at Altoona Regional and Geisinger Health Systems. To assist students for professional school applications we offer a Health Careers Seminar that provides an overview of the entire application process and an on-campus, faculty led Admission Exam Prep Course.

In addition, as a result of a bequest by a Juniata alumnus and physician, there is a four year Lawrence Johnson Scholarship at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry for Juniata premedical students.


Pre-Law

Advisor: Professor Barlow

The pre-legal student should seek a broad undergraduate experience in the liberal arts. Students interested in law should have a thorough command of English, an extensive background in research methods, skill and experience in developing logical arguments, and a critical understanding of the human institutions and values with which the law deals. They are strongly encouraged to develop proficiency in another language and to study abroad. Juniata also offers courses in conflict resolution, a growing field in the legal profession. Although students may develop any Program of Emphasis which suits their particular talents and interests, the experience of others indicates that English, history, politics, American studies, and economics are the most common programs of students entering law schools.

In addition to helping students through the process of applying to law school, the pre-law advisor assists with course selections that will fulfill their POE goals while providing them with appropriate skills for the study of law.  In addition, he helps to provide students with resources to prepare for the LSAT and helps to arrange internships that allow students to explore the legal field while they are in college.  Students should plan to take the LSAT in the fall of the senior year and apply to law school by mid-January.

A special arrangement with the Duquesne University School of Law allows students to apply for admission to the Law School after three years of undergraduate study, allowing them to complete their degrees in six rather than seven years.  Students must have a LSAT score that puts them at or above the 75th percentile, and a GPA of 3.36 or better.


Social Work

Advisors: Professor Radis

The Dorothy Baker Johnson and Raymond R. Day Social Work Program, accredited by the Council on Social Work Education since 1982, is designed primarily to prepare students for beginning professional practice in the field following successful completion of the undergraduate requirements. An important secondary objective of the program is preparation for graduate education in social work and related areas of study.

Students who seek professional competence in assisting individuals, families, groups, and communities in solving human problems develop Programs of Emphasis which reflect an interdisciplinary approach to undergraduate study. A foundation of courses from the natural and social sciences is combined with specific courses in social work practice and social welfare policy. Such a program also allows the student to focus on a particular area of inquiry (e.g., health care, criminal justice, families and children, developmental disabilities, etc.) that may complement the social work interest.

Of great importance to the social work student is Juniata's Social Work Professional Semester. In cooperation with social service agencies representing many areas of social work (e.g., medical, criminal justice, drug and alcohol, developmental disabilities, aging, family and children, etc.), the internship is organized to provide senior students with an educational opportunity to integrate and apply the skills, knowledge, and values mastered in the classroom with the daily tasks of the social worker in the field.


Teaching

Advisors: Professors Biddle, DeHaas, Glosenger, Jones; Coordinator of Field Experience-Staff

Since 1876 Juniata College prepared individuals for careers in teaching, human development, and childcare. Currently, the Education Department is authorized by Pennsylvania’s Department of Education to offer teacher certification programs in PreK-4th grade, Unified PreK-4th grade and Special Education PreK-8th grade; and 12 areas of secondary education; including Biology, Chemistry, English, Earth & Space Science, Environmental Education, Social Studies, Math, Physics, General Science, French, German and Spanish. In addition, the Education Department works closely with the Office of International Education to promote study abroad.

Although the Education Department’s primary focus is on teacher preparation, department members also provide guidance and serve as advisors for individuals who create their own Programs of Emphasis.  Other students do a secondary emphasis in education and combine studies in education with programs in social work, health professions, psychology, human development and child life.

Students who seek teacher certification must meet all of the certification requirements mandated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and Juniata College's Education Department. All certification requirements for admission to, retention in, and completion of a certification program are outlined in the Education Department Student Handbook.

 

Cooperative Programs

Health Professions Affiliations

 

A distinctive feature of the Juniata College Health Professions Program is a broad array of formal affiliation agreements. These agreements enable qualified students to gain early acceptance or accelerated admission into professional school programs.


Several types of programs are included, designated below by the number of years a student spends at Juniata College, followed by the number of years spent at the affiliated institution. The 3 + _ programs allow students who matriculate at Juniata for three years and complete all the Juniata College general degree requirements, to earn degrees from both Juniata College and the corresponding professional institution.

The "_" designation indicates a variable number of years at the professional school, depending on the specialty chosen.

See the specific career track on the Health Professions website for details.

https://www.juniata.edu/academics/departments/healthprofessions/

Biotechnology

3 + 1 B.S. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions
3 + 2 B.S./M.S. entry-level master's program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Chiropractic

3 + 3 B.S./D.C. program with the New York Chiropractic College

Cytotechnology

3 + 1 B.S. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions
3 + 2 B.S./M.S. Entry-level Master's Program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Dentistry

3 + 4 B.S./D.M.D. program with Temple University School of Dentistry
4 + 4 B.S./D.M.D. Early Acceptance Program with the LECOM School of Dental Medicine

Medical Technology


3 + 1 program with Jefferson School of Health Professions
3+2 B.S./M.S. Entry-level Master’s program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Medicine

4 + 4 B.S./D.O. Early Assurance Program with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
4 + 4 B.S./M.D. Early Assurance Program with Temple University School of Medicine and Geisinger Health System

Nursing

3 + __ B.S./M.N./M.S.N./D.N.P. (Doctor of Nursing Practice) OR D.N.P/Ph.D. programs with the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University

Occupational Therapy

3 + 2 B.S./M.S.O.T. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Optometry

3 + 4 B.S./O.D. program with the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University

Pharmacy

3 + 3 and 3 + 4 Accelerated OR 4 + 3 and 4 + 4 Early Acceptance B.S./Pharm.D. programs with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy

Physical Therapy

4 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. Early Acceptance program with Drexel University
3 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

4 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. Early Acceptance program with Widener University

Podiatric Medicine

4 + 4 B.S./D.P.M. Early Assurance program with Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

Radiologic Sciences

4 +1 B.S. and M.S. options in a variety of specialties with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Other Affiliations

Engineering: 3+2 Programs

Advisor: Professor White

Juniata participates with Columbia University, The Pennsylvania State University, and Washington University in St. Louis,  in cooperative programs for training in engineering. The purpose of such arrangements is to produce engineers who are educated in the fullest sense, as well as competent specialists in a particular field.

The student takes three years of undergraduate work at Juniata. Upon recommendations of the adviser and fulfillment of the transfer requirements, including the required GPA, he or she then transfers to the engineering institution for two additional years of engineering study. Upon successful completion of the five years, the student receives two degrees; a bachelor's of science degree from Juniata and an engineering degree from Columbia University, The Pennsylvania State University, or Washington University in St Louis.


Law: 3+3 Program

Advisor: Professor Barlow

The pre-legal student should seek a broad undergraduate experience in the liberal arts. Students interested in law should have a thorough command of English, an extensive background in research methods, skill and experience in developing logical arguments, and a critical understanding of the human institutions and values with which the law deals. They are strongly encouraged to develop proficiency in another language and to study abroad. Juniata also offers courses in conflict resolution, a growing field in the legal profession. Although students may develop any Program of Emphasis which suits their particular talents and interests, the experience of others indicates that English, history, politics, American studies, and economics are the most common programs of students entering law schools.

In addition to helping students through the process of applying to law school, the prelaw adviser assists with course selections that will fulfill their POE goals while providing them with appropriate skills for the study of law. In addition, he helps to provide students with resources to prepare for the LSAT and helps to arrange internships that allow students to explore the legal field while they are in college. Students should plan to take the LSAT in the fall of the senior year and apply to law school by mid-January.

A special arrangement with the Duquesne University School of Law allows students to apply for admission to the Law School after three years of undergraduate study, allowing them to complete their degrees in six rather than seven years. Students must have an LSAT score that puts them at or above the 75th percentile, and a GPA of 3.36 or better.

Masters Programs:

Purdue for Masters in Chemistry

http://www.juniata.edu/departments/chemistry/outcomes.html

To qualify for automatic acceptance the student must have a 3.3 GPA and has a letter of recommendation from the chair of the chemistry department. Purdue has a graduate program in chemistry and analytical chemistry.









International Education

Center of International Education

"As a member of the international community, Juniata College extends each student's academic experience into the wider world, supporting the free exchange of thought among peoples from distinct cultures and languages." - Mission Statement

Kati Csoman, Dean, Center of International Programs

Since the inception of its faculty-generated exchange programs in 1962, Juniata has championed internationalism by welcoming students from partner institutions, enabling financial aid and scholarships to apply to overseas study, encouraging faculty to recommend international experiences for their qualified students, and allowing courses taken overseas to be incorporated into any academic curriculum. Juniata promotes international competencies through study abroad for students in every Program of Emphasis. Programs of Emphasis with strong international components may be found throughout this catalog, particularly under International Studies, World Languages and Cultures, History, Political Science, and Accounting/Business/Economics.  Juniata cultivates proficiency in a second language, offers an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) for international students, hosts exchange students from twelve partner institutions, and boasts degree-seeking international students and alumni from all over the globe.

The Center for International Education (CIE) is at the core of developing and nurturing Juniata's partnerships with secondary schools and universities abroad, and with infusing internationalism into campus life.  The College’s vibrant exchange programs facilitate international engagement by offering a framework for Juniata students abroad, and increasing the variety and number of international students on campus.  Our programs also provide faculty members with opportunities to conduct visits and arrange overseas teaching opportunities, and enable faculty members from international partner institutions to speak with classes, hold public lectures, share in joint research projects, and participate in informal interaction with students.  An active "International Education Committee" and the “American Council on Education’s Internationalization Leadership Team” (composed of faculty, administrators and students) advise the CIE, help to coordinate international activities at Juniata, and provide direction for future growth.  The CIE maintains membership in several national and international organizations, including the National Association of International Educators (NAFSA); The Forum on Education Abroad; Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the Institute for International Education (IIE); the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA); the American Council on Education (ACE); and the Pennsylvania Council for International Education (PaCIE).


International Students

International Students

Kati Csoman, Dean, Center for International Education

Juniata welcomes students from around the world.  The staff of the Center for International Education (CIE) provides support to students from around the world with visa issues, pre-arrival planning, orientation, academic advising, and adjustment to studying and living in the U.S. The CIE promotes academic and social programs incorporating language, international and intercultural subjects, and works closely with faculty members and departments to support the academic performance of international students.   Requirements for admission and scholarship and financial aid information for international students can be found in the Admission section of this catalog.


Intercultural Activities

Juniata supports a number of student organizations and co-curricular activities that facilitate intercultural learning. Students may choose to live in the Global Village, which brings together diverse students with interests in world languages and intercultural exploration into common residences for intentional living and learning communities.  The French, German, and Spanish Clubs sponsor cultural events and join faculty in hosting language tables in the Global Commons. . Other clubs like the Chinese Club, and Russian Club have grown out of student interest in world cultures and are instrumental in the success of such activities as the Chinese New Year dinner, film series, lectures, and other intercultural learning activities on the campus.  The Juniata Chapter of "Sigma Iota Rho", a national honor society "to promote and reward scholarship and service among students and practitioners of international studies and global relations and to foster integrity and creative performance in the conduct of global affairs," honors successful students in International Studies


Study Abroad

Juniata encourages study abroad as an integral component of a liberal arts education. A variety of study abroad programs is available, including offerings for the full academic year, one semester, and short-term programs, many of which are led by Juniata professors. While year-long language immersion programs in which a student continues to study in the Program of Emphasis are the optimal, study abroad experiences offered at Juniata provide students opportunities for personal and academic growth.

Juniata students can study abroad on every continent (except Antarctica), in the following countries: Africa (the Gambia, Morocco, Rwanda), Asia (China, India, Japan, Taiwan), Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Russia, Spain, United Kingdom), North America (Canada, Mexico), Oceania (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Ecuador). Juniata supports Direct Enroll/ Exchange (EXC), and Brethren Colleges Abroad (BCA) programs; some of these are Limited Enrollment (LE).  A complete list of programs and their requirements can be found at: https://www.juniata.edu/academics/departments/international/study-abroad/programs/index.php.

Students with Programs of Emphasis from all academic departments are eligible for approved study abroad programs, following the guidance of their faculty advisers to maintain academic progress. In Juniata approved programs, credits and grades will be indicated on the Juniata transcript. In all approved programs (except summer), Juniata financial aid is applicable, including grants-in-aid and scholarships. Students pay the regular Juniata tuition and fees for the semester and year programs and all financial aid and scholarships apply (tuition benefit involves special tuition arrangements; students can obtain information from the Center for International Education. PAR rates are not applicable to study abroad).  A number of scholarships are also available specifically for study abroad (see https://www.juniata.edu/academics/departments/international/ea/scholarships.html for complete list). The student is responsible for the passport, visa and airline tickets to program sites. Summer and short-term programs have specific fee structures; these are provided with the program information.

In each program, Juniata students are accepted into each host institution on a full-time basis and are treated as regular members of the student body, attending classes, writing papers, taking exams, etc., side-by-side with their counterparts in the host institution. In most programs, classes are conducted in the language of the host country; in others, (e.g., Czech Republic) classes are in English and the student also takes a class in the language of the host country to facilitate adjustment. Supervision for the student is provided by the host institution; in many BCA programs, there is a resident director whose sole responsibility is overseeing the program.

Occasionally, a student may desire to enroll in a non-Juniata program. Such programs must be offered by accredited U.S. colleges or universities or involve direct enrollment in an approved university outside the U.S. In either case, credit earned may be transferable to Juniata under the usual policies and requirements for the acceptance of transfer credit. To enter these programs, students need prior approval of the Dean of the Center for International Education, the Registrar, and the Dean of Students. Juniata grants-in-aid are not transferable to programs sponsored by other institutions. Procedures for receiving aid such as outside loans and grants are specific; students should consult the Director of Financial Planning. Credits from non-Juniata programs are entered on the Juniata transcript as transfer credits; grades are not indicated


Study Abroad Scholarships

Juniata offers a number of scholarships that are designated specifically for study abroad
https://www.juniata.edu/admission/scholarships-and-aid/

https://www.juniata.edu/services/catalog/section.html?s1=academic&s2=international_activities

 

English for Academic Purposes

Juniata's English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is a unit of the Center for International Education (CIE) and works in cooperation with the Department of World Languages and Cultures. Juniata’s English for Academic Purposes’s mission is to foster and support a diverse international body of students who are enabled to participate fully and successfully in an open and stimulating community of learners at Juniata College. The program offers English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at the High Intermediate and Advanced levels of English proficiency. Content-based courses are offered so that students may practice their language skills while learning about American society and other special topics.

The English for Academic Purposes is open to students who will matriculate at Juniata as degree students, to exchange/sponsored students, and to those students who come to the U.S. with the goal of improving their English.  Degree students will be able to earn up to 15 credits for their ESL courses toward their graduation requirements. Also, degree students may take non-ESL courses as appropriate.

As there are no beginning or intermediate levels, all prospective students must have minimum test scores to be considered for admission (e.g., 52 Internet-based TOEFL).

Internships

An internship is a structured learning experience in which a student applies concepts learned in the classroom to the workplace. The primary purpose of an internship is to provide an academically valid pre-professional work experience for the development of the student’s communication, interpersonal, and professional skills. Interns receive practical training in a variety of settings through cooperatively arranged placements. Interns are given responsibilities that are high quality, and interns work side-by-side with other employees. Internships may be done either for credit (typically during the junior or senior year) or as non-credit, transcript notation internships (often paid and completed during the summer). More than 75% of Juniata students participate in at least one internship.


Internships for Credit

Advisor: Director of Career Services

 

The primary distinction between credit and non-credit internships is the degree to which students are required to reflect on their experiences. Students apply theoretical concepts in the workplace, reflect on the experience, and then reassess ideas. Academic credit is earned for the work and for placing the pre-professional experience in a conceptual and comparative context. Additional differences in the academic requirements between credit and non-credit internships include the degree of College supervision, the duration of the experience, the investment of College resources, and the student’s payment for and receipt of credit.

Internships for credit may be arranged in virtually any academic area and vary in duration and in credit earned from 4 credits to 15 credits. A student may apply a maximum of 15 credit hours of internship toward their degree at Juniata. Placements are arranged through the cooperative efforts of the student, the faculty sponsor, and Career Services. Nearly 100 students participate in credit internships each year. Examples of internships include: Allegheny Heritage Development Corporation, Alliance to Save Energy, Altoona Curve, Altoona Family Physicians, American Red Cross, Antietam National Battlefield, Brethren Volunteer Services, Camp Blue Diamond, DuPont, Enterprise Holdings, Ernest & Young, Fidelity Investments, Fort Roberdeau Historic Society, Geisinger Medical Center, Hershey Medical Center, Highmark , Huntingdon County Office of Business & Industry, J.C. Blair Memorial Hospital, Jekyll Island Authority, La Jolla Playhouse, Lake Raystown Resort and Lodge, Mutual Benefit Group, National Institute of Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Northwestern Mutual Life, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Engineering, PA Game Commission, PA Department of Environmental Protection, PA State Correctional Institutions, Partners for the Americas, Pittsburgh Zoo, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center, Smithsonian Conservatory Biology Institute, TE Connectivity, United Nations,WPSX - TV, local law offices, medical offices, and social service agencies.

Guidelines for credit is as follows:


Students pursuing a credit internship must be of junior or senior status, have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average, and be in good academic standing.  Individual departments may set additional requirements including a higher GPA standard. 

The internship is typically designated as course 490 in the appropriate department (“Internship”) and carries two to nine credits. Credit is awarded in proportion to the time spent on the job according to the following figures:

                                2 credits = 8 hours/week

                                3 credits= 12 hours/week

                                4 credits= 16 hours/week

                                5 credits= 20 hours/week

                                6 credits= 24 hours/week

                                7 credits= 28 hours/week

                                8 credits= 32 hours/week

                                9 credits= 36 hours/week

Grading is based on the following criteria: supervision by the placement supervisor; contact with the faculty sponsor; a written learning contract, and a final evaluation conducted by all three individuals.

The internship seminar is designated as course 495 in the same department (“Internship Seminar”) for two to six credits. Credit for this course is awarded in proportion to time spent working with the faculty member as follows:

                                2 credits= 6 contact or study hours/week

                                3 credits= 9 contact or study hours/week

                                4 credits= 12 contact or study hours/week

                                5 credits= 15 contact or study hours/week

                                6 credits= 18 contact or study hours/week

Grading for the seminar is based on regular contact with the faculty sponsor; a journal/log of activities, an extensive written project, paper, or program as arranged with and periodically reviewed by the faculty sponsor and if appropriate, a portfolio of work completed.

Examples of past seminar requirements are:

2 credits: Journal of activities, outline of final paper, final paper, talk to student group;

                Work journal, portfolio, annotated bibliography, oral presentation;

                Journal, public presentation, short assignment, term paper;

                Meet with sponsor, submit copies of projects, descriptive analysis of operations at placement.

3 credits: Log and annotated bibliography, research project and report, self-evaluation of performance, weekly meeting with sponsor;

                Read three books, daily journal, 15-20 page research paper,

                Journal, abstracts, outline of final paper, final paper, talk to student group.

4 credits: Daily journal, two book reviews, outline of research paper, major research paper, weekly meetings with sponsor.

6 credits: Daily journal on significant events, weekly meetings with sponsor, three major research projects.

The intern must fulfill any additional departmental requirements provided these requirements do not conflict with internship policies.


Non-Credit Summer Internships

 

Exciting opportunities are available for Juniata students in virtually every academic area, and Career Services is available to assist students in finding academically-meaningful positions. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 and have completed a minimum of 12 credits hours in courses directly related to the internship prior to applying for a transcript notation internship, and must submit a learning agreement plan. With few exceptions, summer internships are not for credit, but can be officially noted on the student's transcript as an academically-valid experience. Approximately 150 students participate in this program each summer.  Note:  Transcript Notation internships can also take place during the academic year.  There is a maximum of two notations in a single summer and one per academic semester.

The College encourages organizations to pay summer interns, and students have earned from minimum wage to $21.50/hour. To qualify for transcript notation, an internship must last for a minimum of 240 hours and should be directly related to the student's P.O.E. Each intern is evaluated by his/her supervisor, and must make a presentation on the experience. If the Internship is deemed appropriate and successful, the experience will be noted on the student transcript; e.g., ABC Employer, BI XX1 Internship: Biomedical Technician, Harrisburg, PA or EB XX1 Internship: XYZ Employer, Retail Sales/Marketing, Seattle, WA. While most students live and work near home, many students have taken advantage of summer internships as a way to travel and live in other areas. Students have interned in locations ranging from Hawaii to California and in organizations such as: Abbott, African Wildlife Foundation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Geisinger Medical Center, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts, Human Rights Campaign, Johns Hopkins University, Long Island Rough Riders, PA Lions Beacon Lodge Camp, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Philadelphia Zoo, Penn State College of Medicine, Secular Student Alliance, Tom Steel Clinic, UPMC, Yale School of Medicine.


 

Urban Semester Experiences

Juniata is affiliated with several urban semester internship experience programs including: the Philadelphia Center, the Washington Center, and the Washington Internship Institute. In all these experiences, students typically earn 15 academic credits, but only a limited number (2-3) of individuals may participate annually. Approval by the Internship Committee is on a competitive basis. Program costs vary and students may be responsible for any costs above and beyond tuition and room fees paid to Juniata. Students may plan to participate in these programs during their junior or senior year. One year international students (and other students not seeking a degree at Juniata and/or attending Juniata for one year or less) are not eligible to participate. The application deadline is December 1 of the academic year prior to planned participation and is made through the Director of Career Services. A faculty sponsor is required.


Washington Internship Institute

Advisor:  Director of Career Services

Students participating in WII's internship program work four days per week and attend the fifth day seminar to process their experiences.  Students actively create and shape personal and professional learning goals by utilizing the three experiential learning components which guide the program:  knowledge, activity and reflection.  Past internship placements include:  CNN, FAA, American Red Cross, Amnesty International, and others.  Housing (excluding board) is provided. 

*Participation requires approval by the Internship Committee- Deadline to apply:  December 1 of the academic year prior to planned participation.


Philadelphia Center

Advisor: Director of Career Services

The Philadelphia Center program is open to students regardless of academic field. Through cooperation with the Great Lakes Colleges Association, students may spend a semester interning in Philadelphia, gaining firsthand insight into potential careers and exposure into the issues and problems confronting our cities. Blending theory and direct experience, each program includes a supervised internship for four days per week in business, industry, social service agencies, medical facilities, political offices, schools and other organizations. Seminars, academic classes and/or research projects provide academic complements. Assistance in locating housing is provided.

*Participation requires approval by the Internship Committee – Deadline to apply: December 1 of the academic year prior to planned participation.


 

Washington Center

Advisor: Director of Career Services

Under a cooperative arrangement with the Washington Center, Juniata students may participate in internships in Washington, D.C., in nearly every academic field. Internship placement assistance is available to help students secure meaningful, relevant placements. Interns work four days per week and attend seminars, political, and cultural events the fifth day. Internship placements include public administration, congressional offices, lobbying associations, and public interest organizations like Common Cause and the Environmental Policies Center. Housing (excluding board) is provided.

*Participation requires approval by the Internship Committee – Deadline to apply: December 1 of the academic year prior to planned participation.

 

Special Juniata Programs

Degree Completion Programs

The Degree Completion programs are designed for Juniata College students who are not GPA deficient and wish to complete the requirements to earn a Juniata degree.

How you can reapply:

The readmission process requires the students contact the Dean of Students Office for readmission for degree seeking status. These students do not enter through Enrollment admissions as they are not first time degree seeking students. Once they have been cleared by the Dean of Students records for any behavioral sanctions, they are forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for re-admittance.

Walker Program:

Students who have not completed their Walker requirements and/or who are returning full-time to complete their degree:

  • Regular admissions will include a statement letter of intent sent to the Registrar’s Office who reviews with the Dean of Students to determine space accommodations for on campus living, and with the Provost and Academic Support office to review academic record for feasibility for completion and advisor assignment. A $300.00 administrative fee may be applied when accepted into the program.

Completion Program:

It is designed for those former students who need to earn 30 semester credits or less to meet their degree requirements.

  • Typically these students cannot return full-time on campus to finish requirements.
  • Students will register for a Degree Completion Planning Seminar to work out the details of their program. Following that, the program requires enrollment in at least one semester. The Fall or Spring enrollment need not be full-time or on campus.
  • The POE must be approved by the Department Chair.
  • Upon readmission, students are assigned a POE advisor to assist them in developing a program of emphasis which meets the degree requirements. The remaining credits needed to graduate may be earned through:
    • regular courses offered at the College;
    • through independent studies with the College faculty (including emeritus faculty) or with practitioners or scholars recognized as qualified by the Provost;
    • or through courses taken at other accredited institutions.

Students may transfer in credits if the student has not exhausted the current transfer credit policy. A $300.00 administrative fee is applied when accepted into the program.

Deadlines to apply for readmission to Juniata in the Degree Completion program:

  • July 1 for Fall semester
  • November 1 for Spring semester

Academic Amnesty Program

Broad Guidelines:

  • The Academic Amnesty Program applies only to students that have been away from the college for at least 5 years and wish to complete their degrees.
    • Under the Academic Amnesty policy, a maximum of 15 credits (with grades) may be forgiven from the student's GPA calculation when he or she re-enters the college. Alternatively a student's GPA may be reset if the student has over 55 credits remaining to graduate.
    • No grades will be removed from a student's permanent record
    • Academic Amnesty can be offered only once per student
    • Final transcript will show GPA before and after Amnesty administered, and the new or adjusted GPA will be marked, "Academic Amnesty"
    • Students under this program will not qualify for academic honors, and their class rank will not be calculated
  • All requests for implementation of degree completion programs, including academic Amnesty, will be heard by SAD
  • Recognizing that certain areas of study may have changed dramatically over the course of decades, a student's POE must be approved by the relevant department chair as a condition of re-entry.
  • Curriculum committee will address concerns over outdated distribution requirements.
  • Students who graduate in these programs may take part in the May commencement ceremony
  • A $300.00 administrative fee is applied when accepted into the program.

Masters Programs at Juniata

Certificate Programs

The Genomics Leadership Initiative at Juniata College

The Genomics Leadership Initiative at Juniata College has been funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and National Science Foundation. The initiative seeks to achieve its goal by developing a genomics certificate program, a leadership module, and student summer research experiences.

GENOMICS CERTIFICATE PROGRAM:

Comprised of seven courses, the genomics certificate addresses both the science and the broader ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) surrounding progress and discoveries in the field of genomics. The ethical, legal and social issues surrounding advances in genomics provides a strong focus for practicing a breadth of knowledge and skills; the understanding of the scientific foundation of genomics provides the focus for developing an interdisciplinary base and cross disciplinary understanding of the life sciences in an era of “big data”. To help support this part of the program the grant has also funded an ELSI faculty development workshop, a seminar series, stipends for faculty developing new or revised classes, and stipends for faculty to formally assess the learning gains of students as a result of programmatic activities.

What is a certificate?

In general, an undergraduate certificate provides an interdisciplinary curriculum that is not available within any single academic unit. A certificate offers the possibility of a more cohesive general education experience oriented around a theme and taught by faculty who work together as a group on an ongoing basis and have common inter-departmental learning objectives and assessments. The awarding of the certificate is noted on the student’s transcript.

Who is this certificate for?

Students intending to pursue careers in biological research and medicine are the primary target. However, students interested in careers in public policy, public health, law, and business will gain by developing similar competencies.

Why should a student get this certificate?

As cost of a human genome approaches $1000, appreciation of both the science and the ethical, legal, and societal implications of genomics has become an increasingly pressing issue. Design of the certificate was based on recommendations from a joint document between the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) entitled, “Scientific Foundations for Future Physicians.” This report emphasized the importance of integrative scientific approaches, scientific reasoning, intellectual curiosity, communication and decision making skills, adaptability, ethical principles, and understanding of patients as individuals and in a social context. HHMI has funded Juniata College to implement this certificate program.

Description and Goals of a Certificate in Genomics, Ethics, and Society

Comprised of seven courses, the certificate addresses both the science and the broader ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) surrounding progress and discoveries in the field of genomics. No area of modern biology provides a more appropriate focus for combining the humanities and sciences than the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of the human genome project and the evolution of the field of personalized medicine. The subject cannot be completely addressed without the input of specialists working across disciplinary boundaries. The ethical, legal and social issues surrounding advances in genomics provide a strong focus for practicing a breadth of knowledge and skills while understanding the acts of judgment and social contexts involved in the development and application of scientific knowledge; the understanding of the scientific foundation of genomics provides the focus for developing an interdisciplinary base and cross disciplinary understanding of the life sciences in an era of “big data”.

Learning objectives

Students who attain genomics certification will be able to:

Describe the basic concepts and principles of genomics.
Explain the scope of genomics from genes to society.
Integrate knowledge of the chemical, physical, mathematical and computational bases of genomics.
Explain the importance of the place of genomics in the human effort to understand natural phenomena, including its history and social impact.
Be able to make and justify ethical judgments about genomics research and its uses in medical practice and elsewhere.
Use the skills and interdisciplinary perspectives of the liberal arts in understanding trends in genomics and communicating them to academic peers and others.
Apply the process of science to questions in genomics.
Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of a selected field in genomics.
Progress into a leadership role, working with experts and non-experts, with an awareness of the likely results of one's actions and an understanding of how results might differ in different settings and different cultures.

REQUIREMENTS

Core Courses: All students pursuing a genomics certificate must take four core courses required for a genomics certificate. Download the Genome Certificate Sheet to organize and plan your course of study.

  1. Genomics, Ethics and Society (IC 203; Fall; MW 2-3:50PM; CWS prereq) A team-taught course that lays the foundations for interdisciplinary work on the ethical and social dimensions of genomics.
  2. A course covering basic molecular biology, genetics, and genomics:

Biology II BI 106; Fall; N division class; T/Th 9 to 10:20AM, or T/Th 1 to 2:20PM, Discussion Sections Weds 8 or 10AM; BI-105 CH-105 prereqs
Human Biology BI 109; Not for biology majors; Fall; N division class; MWF 9 to 9:55PM

  1. At least three credits of statistics:

Biostatistics with lab BI 305, Fall; N and QS division class; T/TH 10:30 to 11:50AM; Lab M 1 to 2:55PM or 3 to 4:55; BI105 or ESS100 prereq
Environmetrics ESS 230; Spring N division and QS class; T/Th 10:30 to 11:55AM; Sophomore standing
Introductory Probability and Statistics MA 220, Fall MWF 10 to 10:55AM; Discussion T noon; Spring MWF 1 to 1:55PM, TH 2:30 to 3:25PM; QS and N division class, prereq MA130.

  1. One course covering informatics and analysis of large data sets:

Information Discovery IM 241, Fall QS and S division class; T/TH 9 to 10:20AM; prereqs IT110 or IT111 or CS110 or Instructors Permission (Loren Rhodes)
Biological Sciences Research Methods (Lamendella, Buonaccorsi, and Keeney sections)
Even Spring Semesters (Buonaccorsi), N division class; MW 2 to 4:50PM; prereqs BI207 or Instructors Permission
Odd Fall Semesters (Lamendella), N division class; schedule TBA; prereqs BI207 or Instructors Permission
Even Fall Semesters (Keeney), N division class; schedule TBA; prereqs BI207 or Instructors Permission
Computer Science 110 section G only, Spring N class, MWF 8AM to 8:55AM
Unix CS 255U, 1 credit every semester, T 8AM, prereq Computer Science 110 or Instructors Permission (Loren Rhodes);

AND

Perl CS255P, 2 credits, Summer, prereq Computer Science 110 or Instructors Permission (Loren Rhodes), sophomore standing, self study

or

Python CS255Y, 2 credits, Summer, prereq Computer Science 110 or Instructors Permission (Loren Rhodes), sophomore standing, self study

Electives: In addition to the core courses, students must take at least three elective courses related to ELSI genomic themes:

Social History of Medicine History HS 211; Every Fall; May count as a either a CA, or an H or I division class. T/TH 1 to 2:20PM
Medieval Medicine: Health and Disease in the Middle Ages History HS 399, Every Spring. H division class. MW 11AM to 12:20PM
Doctors, Medicine and Literature Russian RU 299 01, Fall of odd numbered years. May count as a either a CA, or an H or I division class. T/TH 10:30 to 11:50PM, T Noon to 12:55pm.
Science and Human Values Philosophy PL 250, Spring of odd numbered years, H division class.
Moral Judgment Psychology 3XX, Every Summer online, S division class.
Leadership in the 21rst Century. Business EB 299, Odd Springs online (3 cr), S division class

AND Executive Leadership Business 199, 1 cr, Spring, 3PM, Weds.


Certificate in Geographical Information Systems

Geographic Information System (GIS) and spatial reasoning are a mainstay knowledge base for working professionals in environmental science, resource management, local and regional planning, disease monitoring and evaluation, real estate, military planning, and social science research. The Juniata GIS certificate program is offered jointly by the Environmental Science and Studies and the Computer Science and Information Technology Departments. We have two tracks to prepare a student for a career in any of the GIS fields. The first track has a focus on Environmental Science. This track has more courses in field methods in GIS and spatial analysis. The second track has a focus on Information Technology. This track has more courses in programming and data mining. the certificate is open to students in all departments as well as Juniata alumni.

Requirements for GIS (18-21 credits):

We have designed this certificate based on looking at successful programs. We have tried to match core strengths of other successful programs while differentiating ourselves based on our key strengths. The cores courses include

  • Introduction to geographic information systems
  • Topics in remote sensing and spatial analysis
  • Quantitative methods

The ways we differentiate ourselves is through our strength in field data collection techniques for environmental sciences. We include tracks in Environmental Science and in Information Technology

The requirements of the certification are as follows:

Quantitative field intro (1 course) (4 credits): This section requires the student to have a quantitative introductory class in their field. The requirement of this course is that it has a lab or quantitative section where Excel or other spreadsheet or database program is used to compile and represent or analyze data. One course from the following:

  • Environmental Track
    • ESS 100: Introduction to Environmental Science
  • IT Track
    • IT 111: Principles of Information Technology, OR
    • CS 110: Computer Science I

Core Statistics or data analysis (1 course) (3-4 credits): One course from this section must be taken:

  • Environmental Track
    • ESS 230: Environmetrics, OR
    • BI 305: Biostatistics
  • IT Track
    • IM 241: Information Discovery 

Core Geographic Information Courses (3 courses)(8 credits)

  • Both Tracks:
    • ESS 330: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (or Methods in Marine Science)
    • ESS 337: Advanced Topics in GIS and Remote Sensing

Field data collection component (1 course) (3-4 credits): This section is intended to have students exposed to the vagaries of field data collection. It is preferred that students collect spatially explicit data using GPS technologies or other spatially explicit survey methods. Database manage or other courses that explore the process of data collection will also meet this requirement.

  • IT Track:
    • CS 370: Database Management/li>
  • Environmental Track: (Pick One From)
    • ESS 399: Ecology of Fishes(3)
    • ESS 399: Forestry 
    • ESS 399: Hydrology at the Station(3)
    • ESS 399: Wildlife Techniques(3)
    • BIO 399: Field and Stream: Grant & Muth(4)
    • ESS 350: Field Research Methods(4)
    • GL 240: Geological Field Meth. I(4)

Capstone or project requirement (1-4):

  • IT Track: This will normally be a GIS related project done via an IT 307/308 and 380 or 480: Innovation for Industry course series, but it may be done as an independent study or project stemming from another course
  • Environmental Track: This will normally be a GIS related project done via ESS 410 Senior Capstone class, but it may be done as an independent study or project stemming from another course

Table of Requirements

Environmental track

Information Technology Track

Requirement

Credits

ESS 100

IT 111/ CS110

Base Course

3-4

ESS 230 Environmetrics

Or

BI 305 BioStat

IM 241:  Information Discovery

Data Analysis and Discovery

3-4

ESS 330: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 

ESS 330: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 

Basic GIS

4

ESS 337 Advanced Topics in GIS and Remote Sensing

ESS 337 Advanced Topics in GIS and Remote Sensing

Remote Sensing and Modeling

3

One from

ESS 399 Ecology of Fishes: (3)

ESS 399 Forestry

ESS 399 Hydrology at RFS: (3)

ESS 399 Wildlife Techniques (3)

BIO 399 Field and Stream: (4)

ESS 350 Field Research Methods—(4)

GL 240 Geological Field Methods. I  (4)

CS 370 Database Management

Data Collection

3-4

Senior Capstone or Other GIS project

I4I or other project with Spatial Data

Capstone

1-4

Total Credits

 

 

18-21

Contacts:

Neil Pelkey, PhD.: Associate Professor Environmental Science and Studies and IT
Email: pelkey@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3589

Dennis Johnson, PhD.: Professor and Chair Environmental Science
Email: johnson@juniata.edu or (814) 641- 5335

Loren Rhodes, PhD.: Professor and Chair, Computer Science and Information Technology
Email: rhodes@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3620

Certificate in Digital Humanities Information